THE BEAST AWAKENS
On a bitterly cold gusty day in 2003, invited competitors who were held up at Porpoise Bay in the Catlins, dodging hail squalls and horizontal rain while five foot barrels spiralled off out in front, awaited ‘the call’.
For four years the Quiksilver Rex Von Huben Big Wave Challenge had pushed the boundaries to new heights in terms of what was considered ‘big wave surfing’ here in NZ. That ‘call’, probably one of the most influential decisions for the big wave surfing movement, was when organisers of the event, after driving up the coast and checking conditions, announced the green light for competition at a spot known as Skeleton Point at Papatowai. Up until this point the ten foot zone had been the yardstick, as far as big wave surfing went on our shores, with conditions cleaning up as each set approached and the competitors made their way out into surf that the majority of had never seen the likes of before, driven on by the camaraderie of other like minded surfers that all enjoyed personal challenges and the will to win. Big wave surfing changed forever that evening and a new realm was entered into, one which would thrust NZ into the limelight of international big wave surfing over the next few years.
As with any pioneering moment, progress after the initial achievement is usually swift and expansive. Many who tried to climb Everest, thought it was impossible or failed attempting, then when Hillary and Tenzing conquered the feat, every man and his dog began to follow. And while a few had ridden Papatowai before, it was Doug Young who pushed the levels beyond comprehension single-handedly over those following years. Paddle surfing solo, waves the size of buildings while the hills above were lined with snow. Tow surfing had just begun to take off in NZ and when the wind was up and the swell was massive out came the skis, and on those rare occasions when the wind glassed off, the ability to paddle the big guns out into the lineup was granted. Those that witnessed Doug’s infectious excitement wanted a piece of this action, and it wasn’t long before local tow teams were joining Doug, who had also partnered up Daniel Kereopa as a paddling sparring partner when conditions allowed. Doug also pushed the local young lads into the scene of paddling, making his guns available for whoever wanted to take a shot at the beast. Several other defining sessions pushed this progression even further. In 2004 Ross Clarke-Jones showed up with his tow partner Tony Ray on one of the biggest and cleanest two day swells, since what had become infectiously known as ‘Papas’ was first surfed. That same year Doug had the vision to run a paddle in event known as the Papas XL, and along with five other soldiers they took on giant windblown conditions complete with hail and snow. It was becoming obvious that when it snowed that usually meant Papas would be breaking, you just had to hope and pray the wind would co-operate. On the 15th of June 2006 those prayers were answered, and the session that still remains the benchmark till this day went down. Tow teams rode some of the biggest and cleanest waves ever in NZ, and Daniel Kereopa put in eight hours paddling solo amongst the tow surfers after his sparring partner Doug had broken his rib earlier that morning. DK won the biggest paddle in the Australasian Oakley/Surfing Life Big Wave Awards, joining Doug who has also won the event twice with waves caught at Papatowai. From this point on the Skeleton Point reef had been slung into the basket of big name breaks for eternity. Yet for the next six or so years, apart from a few medium swells and a couple of big wind affected sessions, Papas remained in hibernation. That was until the first week of October this year, when a deepening low reading 936 millibars, began to brew off the Antarctic, the deepest depression seen in years. As Papatowai sits down in the zone known as the Roaring 40’s, the term roaring isn’t taken lightly, those very winds that make the swells also usually accompany them, so those rare sessions with light winds and clear skies that enable both tow and paddle surfing, over the last ten years can be counted on one hand. On the 7th of October the day dawned as a 50/50 call, those heading down knew it would be big enough, but were also well aware that the winds could be completely different to what had been forecast. That 936 low had transpired into eight metre swells called for Foveaux Strait, one for the record books, and the low had dropped down just enough to provide a window of favourable winds. As life moves on for many, most of the regular disciples of days gone by were absent, replaced by a new breed of young guys searching for the ultimate thrill. With several of the lads going head to head with nature in the paddle in stakes, where the dangers begin well before reaching the lineup, having to scramble down the cliff and jump off a rugged rock shelf straight into a 10 foot surge of white water. Mistime it and you are pinned against the vertical wall being ground against the barnacles and turned into burley. The paddlers were joined by the tow teams which aside from using the skis to catch waves, also provided safety for the paddle surfers, and on more than one occasion retrieving boards and surfers that had been parted by natural forces. The wind swung throughout the day providing on and off again moments, where many took their opportunities to push their own boundaries and for some, catch their first ever wave at Papas! A journey that would begin today for many, and one that will continue for many years to follow. Throughout the day many of the lads in attendance swapped disciplines between paddle and tow, some simply for the thrill of the two options. Others through necessity as they had either lost their boards on the rocks inside or broken them. With wave faces measuring 30-40 feet, the day provided several all time moments, some of which are featured here. Many personal goals were achieved, for others injury and heartbreak brought upon by heavy wipeouts, but that’s big wave surfing, you have to roll with the punches, put in the time and you will be rewarded. For those in attendance they had their reward by simply showing up, some had taken their own surfing to new heights and some had been humbled by the raw Southern swell, but at the end of the day as they all shared a beer, under a cooling Southern evening, one thing they all shared was the stoke of Papas and grins from ear to ear. To all the lads that rode that swell: Jono Lockhart, Motu Mataa, Miles Ratima, Doug Young, Sam Hawke, Leroy Rust, Morehu Roberts, Matt McGill, Dan Smith, Nick Smart, Steve Brown. A big cheers from NZ Surfing for keeping the Papas flag flying. Live, train, and focus, until that next swell.